In 2020, amid the COVID-19 outbreak, national governments introduced strict measures—including visitor bans, prohibitions on group activities, and quarantine protocols—to shield nursing home residents from infection. With safety as the overriding priority, residents and their close relatives were compelled to accept these limitations. Their viewpoints matter greatly because the policies profoundly affected their lives, yet they were left out of the decision-making process. This study explores the moral perspectives of residents, close relatives, and volunteers on the restrictions in hindsight, along with the key moral lessons they believed should be drawn from the experience. We conducted 30 semi-structured interviews with residents and close relatives, as well as one focus group discussion with volunteers in nursing homes. All data were transcribed verbatim and analyzed inductively. Following this, three Socratic dialogue sessions were held with residents, close relatives, and volunteers. In these meetings, initial findings were presented, and conversations were guided toward identifying moral lessons for future pandemics. The results were then integrated with moral theory using an empirical bioethics approach.
Over time, participants developed increasingly critical views of the COVID-19 restrictions. Multiple moral values were undermined, thereby shaping important moral lessons for the future. The participants highlighted three moral lessons as particularly significant. First, it is essential to develop tailored and well-balanced solutions in real-world settings. Second, greater recognition must be given to the practical caring role performed by close relatives. Third, decision-making power should be distributed more responsively, ensuring that the perspectives of all affected stakeholders are taken into account. Placing these findings alongside moral theory reinforces the argument for actively including all stakeholder groups in future decision-making processes. To make the moral lessons more concrete, tailored solutions can be achieved through moral case deliberations. Proper recognition involves steps toward moral repair and the inclusion of counter-stories in public discussions. A responsive distribution of power begins with delivering clear, trustworthy information and genuinely incorporating all relevant perspectives.
